Conference 7.286::sports_91

   The Cowboys is Lee Timmons favorite team! Go Cowboys!

   Thought I'd save you the trouble Lee.

Chuck

lEe Timmons - SPORTS Notes WardleVane(tm) 1991

    What did Jimmy Johnson do this year to earn Coach Of The Year that Tom
    Landry wouldn't have done ???
    
    The Cowboys finished 7-9 this year because their stud No. 1 draft picks
    over the last few years began to come of age.   That's not necessarily
    due to coaching.   Landry has nursed young star quarterbacks along plus
    he's also babysat rookie running backs before.  Just like Johnson did
    this year.
    
    I can think of a few other coaches who can just as easily qualify for
    the award.   The pre-season pundits had the Seahawks dead and buried
    but Chuck Knox deserves some credit for keeping them in playoff
    contention until the very end.  Don Shula did wonders with the
    Dolphins.  Marv Levy went 3-1 against the big bad NFC East and toyed
    with the rest of the AFC.
    
    What about George Seifert ???   The Niners are an awesome team and they
    haven't skipped a single beat since Walsh left town for NBC.   How
    about Mike Ditka ???   From 6-10 to 11-5 ain't too shabby.   And
    Parcells won his second straight NFC East title.   And Gibbs got the
    Skins back into the playoffs by overcoming numerous injuries.
    
    Each of these guys were more impressive than Jimmy Johnson.
    
    Bob Hunt

    re Bob Hunt
    
    
    You forgot Dan Reeves, he finally got Denver a good spot in the draft.
    
    
    Seriously, Don Shula or Marv Levy are truly deserving. 

    I'd vote Seifert, Johnson, Gibbs....

    And furthermore, Jimmy Johnson did it with the 5th place team's
    weaker schedule.
    
    He had very few really tough games outside the NFC East.   Seifert and
    Gibbs, among others however, had tough games each week.
    
    I say give him Coach Of The Year when he wins something of some more
    significance like a division title or a home game wildcard slot.
    
    Boo ....
    
    Bob Hunt

    
    Bob, that "weak" schedule includes playing the Giants, Eagles, and
    Redskins each two times. 
    
    
    
    Steve

    I agree with you Bob Hunt, JJ wasn't the most deserving coach for COY.
    I think he won the award because of the quick turn around and the 
    executives moves hes made. Going from 1-15 to 7-9 and obtaining 3 
    number 1 picks along the way was nothing short of being brilliant.
    I think since he won COY this year he'll never win it again unless
    he can leads the Cowboys to 15-1 season nexted(tm) year. Highly unlikely.
    He deserves the executive of the year, is there such an award in football?

    As far as Landry being able to win 7 games with this bunch, I don't 
    think so. Landry was a great coach, but the modern athlete simiply 
    doesn't respond to his coaching style. Todays top football players need
    to be pampered at times and other times they need there ass chewed out.
    I think Landry didn't have the foresight or the comunication skills and
    expected players to react positivily when he stared them down. Doesn't 
    work to well these days.

    My choice for COY is Ditka. He won 11 games without an NFL caliber QB.
    The Bears play almost perfect football given there talent level. They
    where the best coached and prepared team in my mind. Levy in Buffalo 
    deserves a lot of credit. At the beginning of the season my money was
    on Buffalo to fall apart because of all the internal problems they
    had last year. So my COY choices would be Ditka, Levy, and JJ.
    
    Bob, when a stud number 1 draft picks matures to a top level players it 
    most certainly is due to coaching. There is simiply too many players that
    coaching staffs have not been able to influence and are considered flops. A
    successful player needs the coaching staff just as much as the coaching
    staff needs the player. All successful coachs have at one time babys
    sat talented players, its part of the job.

  Chuck

    The Cowboys 5th place schedule was not that easy. They played

      Playoff teams         others
      -------------         ------
      Giants - twice        Rams
      Redskins - twice      Chargers
      Eagles - twice        Tampa - twice
      49ers                 Phoenix - twice
      NewOrleans            Jets
                            Atlanta

      Next years Schedule will be about the same.

    RE: Johnson COY
    
    The cowboys also owe a great deal of thanks to the Vikings for giving
    them a brand new football team!  :-)
    
    Chip_GSH_Bach

    
    Ditka as COY?  HE had a cakewalk of a schedule.  The DC Touchdown Club
    named Siefert, but I could see Gibbs or Levy also.

    RE: cakewalk schedule
    
    if he'd have replaced the 'Boys with any of the teams on his schedule,
    his schedule would have been easier...
    
    But don't get me wrong, I do not, nor have I ever promoted Ditka for
    COY.  (Even though he did turn last years team around...)
    
    Chip_GSH_Bach 

JIMMAH THE COY?!?!?

GET OUTTA HEAH!!!

I don't care if he played the 49ers 16 times this year!
He had a losing record! Period!

This is a travois! (or a travelogue?.. a tapestry?.. sumpin' lak dat).

The rest of the Donk fans will probably come swarming into my cube
trying to urinate in my popcorn.... but.... I think Art Shell has the
best claim for COY.

Mike JN (SIDJNOTY)

    One ?'s on COY, If you had a team that won the superbowl, was expected
    to have another great year make the playoffs and go to another SB get
    COY for doing exactly what was expected......The 49ers are where
    everyone expected them to be with the same talant they had last year?
    The cowboys improved there record by 6W's....Now that alone doesnt get
    him COY but as stated earlier he did some other good things with his
    trades........Coach of the year shouldnt go to the team with the best
    record just because A team wins doesnt mean it was do to great coaching
    ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????	Mab

    Art Shell is my pick for Coach Of The Year

 But what did Shell do other than instill pride back in the Raiders? Most of
 the pieces where there just improperly motivated by Shanahan. Levy stole
 the no huddle from Wyche and finally turned Kelley loose. Look at the games
 the Skins blew this year eliminates Gibbs. Siefert had absolutely no challenge
 from anyone within his division. Parcells went from 12-4 to 13-3 by basically
 playing the same kind of error free football. Ditka rode a last place schedule
 to a winning record. How many winning teams did Ditka beat this year? Aikman
 doesn't go down the Boys probably win their last two ballgames and no one
 questions him as a choice....
 
 mike

    Well obviously there doing something right, siefet (sp) didnt win
    and JJ did so Id vote for saying the system works as far as the
    above statment, he may have not been my first choice but we didnt
    vote some people who know alot more about football than us did...
    
    								MaB

 Given Philly's perchant this year for blowing leads against inferior opponents
 it was within the relm of possibility Bob. Dallas's d was playing well until
 the Babe decided to heave a few intys Philly's way....

 If you base COY solely on the performance of the team on the field then yes
 I agree with you and Siefert would be the choice but when you consider trades,
 draft picks etc I think JJ comes out ahead...

 mike

    How about a Humorous Coach of the Year (HCOY)
    
    I nominate Jim Shofner of the Brownies. He predicted his team would
    achieve greatness in games at Pittsburgh and Houston. After being
    decimated by both teams,he was asked about his next prediction. I
    paraphrase "I predict I'm not a good coach" Bingo and Gonzo.
    
    MikeL
    

    Defensive Backs:
    Scott Ankrom  - on IR all year, 10 rnd pick in 89
    Bill Bates    - Team special teams MVP and nickel back
    Michael Brooks - late season addition, backup

    Defensive Tackle:
    Willie Broughton - backup  player on IR most of year

    Linebackers:
    Eugene Lockhart - starting MLB, team MVP last year
    Willis Crockett - backup player, has been on and off the roster
    David Harper - backup player, 9th round pick in 90

    Receivers:
    Derrick Shepard - punt return man, backup WR
    James Dixon - Kick off return man, backup WR and running back
    Steve Folsom - backup TE, added to roster late in the season

    Offensive Line:
    Crawford Ker - starting guard for 6 years
    Jeff Zimmerman - backup tackle
    Dale Hellestrae - backup center and guard

    Running Backs:
    Keith Jones - on IR all year acquired in last years Plan B
    Robert Perryman - backup FB, acquired off waiver wire, ex-Patriot

    QBacks:
    Babe Laufenberg - Junk
    Cliff Stoudt - late season addition to roster, more junk

    I was surprised about MLB-Lockhart and OG-Ker. They both where in 
    contract negotiations. The Cowboys have made both players offers and
    its up for another team to beat it. Coach Johnson says he will not have 
    have contract problems with veterans players. I guess the contract 
    problems with Jesse Soloman are solved.

    All other players are marginal players at best, should be easy to replace
    them. This Cowboy team was not very deep in talent. 

Chuck

    Defensive Backs...Mike Brooks...They promised me that they were
    going to protect me...Where's my agent....
    
    Whewww...Just got off the phone with my agent he said although there
    not protecting me there pulling a SF 49er and going to match any offer
    anyone makes...Was scared for a second..
    							Defensive Back
    							Dallas Cowboys
    							Michael Brooks

      Heard the Cowboys are close in signing an offensive coordinator.
      Anybody know who?

      Dave Shula is now coaching in Cincinnati. A promising career in
      Dallas lasted two years. He wasn't very popular with the players.

Chuck

    Chuck,
    
    I believe that they signed the Rams receivers coach as their offensive
    coordinator.  His name is something like Hormel (?).  I can already
    hear the jokes about his guy's name......
    
    John "D Cowboys" R.

Does `Head' Coach mean what I think it does?

Mike JN

    The Patriots have told Dallas, they want 2 number 1's plus 2 players
    for there number 1 overall pick. 

    I think the Pats are just setting the opening bids as high as possible.
    JJ will not give up that much.


Chuck

     I feel very good about there draft picks. With all the wheeling and
     dealing they did they where able to draft 17 players of which there
     top 3 picks are already signed.

     I honestly feel they wanted Maryland all the way but not with the
     1st pick overall. They had to make the trade with the Pats for the
     #1 overall so they could get a shot at Maryland. It was the only
     trade that was available to them that would place them ahead of the
     Rams with the #5 pick. Once JJ had the #1 he hoping to trade down to
     #3 with Atlanta. As soon as Rockets contract demands became unreal 
     that plan fell apart. The Rams wanted to trade up for Clevelands pick,
     #2, so Dallas got stuck taking Maryland with the #1. It really doesn't
     matter, I'm just glad they didn't take Rocket. I think he would of been
     a waste of the #1. Time will tell.

     Losing out on Huey Richards in my mind was blessing. I know JJ wanted
     him bad with the #14 pick. Richards only benched press 225lbs 11 times in
     a work out last week. I don't like OLB/DE who don't have the upper body
     power to standup 300lbs tackles and big tightends. If Richards can't
     increase his upper body strength he'll be another Keith McCants and
     Aundray Bruce. I think JJ was saved from making a big mistake.

     More on there picks later.

Chuck

    
    If the Cowboys wanted Maryland all along, why did they even talk to the
    Rocket?  Why did they even deal for the #1 when they could have made a
    deal for the #2 and given up less.  Face it, the Cowboys wanted Rocket,
    dealt for him and lost out in the end.  Of course, the Rocket would
    have probably turned out to be the next Tim Brown, anyway, so it was
    not that big a loss.
    
    Bruce

    Tim Brown isn't that bad a player ....

>>    If the Cowboys wanted Maryland all along, why did they even talk to the
>>    Rocket?  Why did they even deal for the #1 when they could have made a
>>    deal for the #2 and given up less.  Face it, the Cowboys wanted Rocket,
>>    dealt for him and lost out in the end.  Of course, the Rocket would
>>    have probably turned out to be the next Tim Brown, anyway, so it was
>>    not that big a loss.
    
    Bruce,

        You get so worked up about anything that has to do with the Cowboys.
        A deal with Cleveland would not have been cheaper than the #1 from
        the Pats. The Pats had decide that Rocket could not be signed and where
        unloading the pick ASAP. Not to mention the Rams wanted the Cleveland
        pick which would have resulted in a bidding war between the Rams and
        Dallas for the #2. Besides people hear and believe what they want
        to hear and believe. You chose to think that Dallas wanted Rocket and
        I chose to think they wanted to wheel and deal with Rocket.
        
        Like you said, not that big of a loss.

    Chuck

   Below are all 17 picks the Cowboys made in the draft. That leaves there
   roster at 73 players. They added a lot more speed and depth to there
   DL, LB, WR and OL. I was disapointed that they didn't get a quality DB
   in the the draft, but other than that I think this draft was very good 
   for them. Cowboy strategy was to get players to agree to contracts before 
   they would draft them. It appear to have worked out well, there top three
   picks have signed. A year without hold outs what a dream.

Chuck


  Round
    1   #1 Russell Maryland  DT Miami 6-2 275lbs 5.0 Miami
        Has signed and will be in mini camp this coming week. Good inside
        pass rusher. Hard worker and will be coming to a system that suits
        his talents real well. Will be a big factor for them on the DL this 
        coming year.

    1   #12 Alvin Harper  WR Tenn. 6-4 205lbs 4.5
        Has signed and will be in mini camp this coming week. Long strider
        with great leaping ability considered to be the most polished WR in
        the draft. The addition of Harper now gives them 3 big WR with 
        sprinters speed. The 3 WR offense will be used a lot under the new 
        offensive Coordinator.

  Round
    2   #37 Dixon Edwards  OLB  Mich. State. 6-1 222lbs 4.57
        Has signed and will be in mini camp this coming week. A very 
        good pass rusher. Had a terrible Combine but really did well in
        private workouts for team. Rated the 50th best player in the draft
        by the Globe.

  Round
    3   #63 Godfrey Myles OLB FLA 6-2 242lbs 4.56
        Very fast and has played safety in college. Not much upper body
        strength which is a bad sign. Time will tell

    3   #64 James Richards OG Calif. 6-4 290lbs 5.25
        Very good pass blocker, One of the strongest OL in the draft. Was
        rated anywhere from 5th to 10th best lineman in the draft by rating 
        services.

    3   #70 Eric Williams OT Cent (Ohio) 6-5 282 5.2
        Good speed for a big guy but needs to work on the weights. 

  Round
    4   #97 Curvin Richards RB Pitt 5-10 195 4.5
        Good speed and good receiver out of the backfield. Runs hard 
        and will fit right into the offensive scheme. A great backup for
        Emmitt Smith if hes for real.

    4   #106 Bill Musgrave QB Oregon 6-2 192 4.85
        Has all the tools to be good QB but lacks the arm strength. Will be
        the 3rd string QB and Hopefully will develop to be Aikmans backup.

    4   #108 Tony Hill DE/OLB Tenn. Chattanooga 6-7 230lbs 4.77
        A project, a sound football player does everything well but needs
        to put on weight and pump iron for a year.

    4   #110 Kevin Harris DE/OLB Texas Southern 6-5 242lbs 4.78
        A gamble, was a force playing at 1AA school. A great athlete playing
        football will have to develop more as a football player. Might
        be converted to TE.


  Round
    6   #152 Darrick Brownlow LB Ill. 5-11 232lbs 4.78
        Over achiever in college. A wasted pick.

    6   #153 Mike Sullivan OG Miami 6-4 276lbs 4.98
        A four year starter at Miami. Very well schooled in pro set offense
        and does everything well, but not great. Will add depth to OL. A very
        good pickup in the 6th round.

  Round
    7   #173 Leon Lett DT Emporia St. Kansas 6-6 270lbs 5.16
        Big and fast but comes from a small school. A project, outside
        shot of making the team.


  Round
    8   No pick
  
    9   #235 Damon Mays WR Missouri 5-8 170 4.48
        Real quick receiver but thats about it. Will be an early cut.

   10   #264 Sean Love, OG Penn State 6-3 270 5.3
        Big and strong but slow of foot has an out side shot of making
        team.

   11   #291 Tony Boles RB Mich. No info, hitting dumby for practice.

   12   #320 Larry Brown DB TCU. See 11th round pick

    Whos going to be the back-up QB for Aikman??
    Musgrove, third-string, all the others are on plan-B 
    
    thanks for the info...
    kevin

    
    	Question?
    
    		Will the Cowboys win the first game of the season?
    
    
    	Answer
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    			NO!

   Will the Cowboys win there 1st game of the year? I sure hope so.

   The QB's in camp are Aikman, Babe Laufenberg, Cliff Stoudt, and Bill
   Musgrave. Musgrave has attended all three off season QB schools and
   the coaches are very impressed with him. He doesn't have the great
   arm but has great timing on his pass. I can't see Laufenberg making
   the team after his performance last year when Aikman got hurt. I don't
   see Stoudt being a factor either. JJ is not afraid to put a young guy
   on the field so I think Musgrave will be the backup QB. They do need
   a 3rd QB (Babe & Stoudt are NOT the answer), maybe some one from the WLAF.

   Cowboy schedule
    @Cleveland
    Washington
    Philly
    @Phoenix
    Giants
    @Packers
    Cincy
    Open date
    @Detoit
    Phoenix
    @Houston
    @Giants
    @Washinton
    Steelers(Thanksgiving)
    Saints
    @Philly
    Falcons

Chuck

    Being from Portland, I saw a lot of U of O games.  Bill Musgrave
    is a very good QB.  He was very underrated in his career.  He broke
    all of Dan Fouts records and I think he did it during his Junior
    year!  I think it would be a great move to put Musgrave at back-up.
    That would give the Cowboys two young and very talented QB's!
    
    Glen.

    
     Will the Cowboys win their first game? Well let me put it this way,
    I bet on the Cowboys and when I told my banker about it he thought
    it was such a good bet that he credited my account with the money
    I was going to win.
    
    Stars forever,
    
    Bud

    
    
    	I doubt the Cowboys will win the their first game, the Redskins are
    pretty tough.  Oh, wait a minute, you guys weren't talking about
    Cleveland were you?  Be serious. . .
    
    

    
    Aww... c'mon BA. Your just mad because Pittsburg can't afford to buy
    a game. Or is the Dolphin's your favorite team this week, or N.Y. or
    Buffalo...
    By the way how's the team of the week club doing?
    
    Cowboys,Cowboys,Cowboys
    
    Bud
    
    

    Well I dont enter a huge amount of notes in the Cowboys entry but
    for NFC teams there one of my alltime fav's..  I too am predicting
    a playoff berth this year for the Boy's.  They were oh so close last
    year and I was very disapointed that they didnt squek in...By By Babe
    
    Well here's to a great year with Dallas making the Playoffs and the
    patroits winning more games than last year :-)
    							M_Air_Brooks

    
     Well Brian, I guess you got us all that time. I mean how can we
    compete with someone who calls all the great teams his team. By
    the way, I saw some nice N.Y. Giants hats at the mall and thought
    you might be interested in one. Or do you want to wait and see
    who wins the Super Bowl this year?
    
     Oh! Are you not tired of the old,"who had the only undefeated season",
    comeback yet? O.K., heres a question for you. Who beat the Dolphins in
    the Super Bowl before they had an undefeated seasons? Hmmmmmm...
    
    Bud

    
    
    Hey Brian, lets talk about some teams that I can remember and not teams
    who played with leather helmets. You just wish State were half as good
    as the Vols B.A., but that will never happen in this century.:^)
    
    
    David
    

    Stop it you're driving us crazy!!!!!  If you are sitting by each other
    why not go for a coffee break and bicker for a while offline, or take
    this discussion to the Junk Note Topic.  Let's hear some real news
    about the Cowboys.
    
    
    John "D Cowboys" R.

    MAIL is ideal for 1 to 1 communication.  If a notes discussion only
    involves 2 parties, why use NOTES?
    
    We have a SPORTS conference here.  There is no reason Cowboy news has
    to be discussed only in the American_Football conference.  I think it's
    getting pretty sad that there is a feeling we can't discuss real sports
    here anymore.

    O.K....here goes...
    
    Let's talk about how dumb the couboys are going to look at the bottom
    of the standings!  Real dumb! They can't even pay the players what
    they're contracted to pay them. Sounds like a pretty messed up
    organization to me.  Fit's the cowboys though...screwed up!
    
    *This note isn't directed at/to anyone in particular..just the cowboys
    players who might be working for DEC on the side.
    
    B.A.

C'mon guys.  Take it to 124.


I'm a Giants fan, and I hate the Cowboys like any Giants fan would, but
take the juvenile stuff over to 124....


That's two moderators that have mentioned, one more and it's a strike out 8^)

    
    I think this note is great for two reasons:
    
    1.  It makes the Cowboy fans look even dumber than usual (something
    always nice to see).
    
    2.  I found out Michael Brooks is a Cowboy fan--something  which I'd been
    hoping. 
    
    
    And I'm a moderator (about to lose my propellor beany, I think).  Keep
    it up guys!!
    
    Bruce
    
    P.S. 'saw, what's this do the the vote/quorum thingy?

>    
>    P.S. 'saw, what's this do the the vote/quorum thingy?
>

Not much.  See, I'm *here* and you're not.  If I don't like what's going
on, I pull the plug....  [many, many smilies]

Actually I'm always up for a vote on anything if Iit can be done over
beers....


8^)

    -2, Hey I resemble that remark... Nothing wrong with enjoying
    one of the great teams of all time...  Being from New England
    many teams are exciting to watch other than the patriots.....

    That Novacek sure looked good the other night.  How could Phoenix be so
    stupid to leave a guy who caught 59 (?) passes last year unprotected on
    plan B?  Emmitt Smith should have many 1000-yard seasons in his future
    - he's a great cutback runner.
    
    Joe

    Wasn't Novacek on the 'boys last year and o nthe Cards in .89?

    
    
        The Cowboys picked him up last year from plan B. Phoenix thought he
    was too small to play tight end.
    
    
    David
    

    re: last few,
    
    Novacek's 59 catches last year were, in fact, for the Cowboys.  The
    previous year, he lost his starting spot with the Cardinals to Robert
    Awalt, thus making him expendable (in the Cards' minds).  With Joe
    Bugel taking over the helm in Phoenix last year, he wished to construct
    an offense similar to the Redskins'.  Given that Washington stresses
    blocking from their TE's, Phoenix felt that Awalt, much more a receiver
    than a blocker, was also expendable (what with Walter Reeves on hand).
    Thus, the Cards traded Awalt to the Cowboys, giving them two quality
    pass-catching TE's.  Novacek had a great '90 season, and is looking
    good thus far in '91.......but there are many in the NFL that still
    think Awalt to be the better player.
    
    
    Nelly
     

 Me, too.   Robert Awalt is a stud tight end.  He's got Bavaro
 potential.
 
 At this point in the rebuilding of the Cardinals, Joe Bugel needs to
 hang on to his talent and mold his system around them, not the other
 way around as he chose to do in this case.
 
 Dallas has another Doug Cosbie waiting in the wings in Awalt.
 
 Bob Hunt

    < Robert Awalt is a stud tight end. He's got Bavaro potential.
    
    
    I can't believe this statment went by without some sort of response
    from a Giant fan.  If he had Bavaro potential Phoenix would have never
    let him go, the Cowgirls would be starting him and why did it take 6
    years for him to show it. No, I don't think he is a Bavaro. I could see
    Bavaro going to the hall of fame some day. I can't see Awalt doing the 
    same. 
    			The Rookie
                         

    Robert Awalt was considered to be the next proto-type TE. His 1st two
    years in the league he was a force. He could do it all, catch passes, block
    and had the heart to play. At 6-5 and 240lbs he had stud stamped on his
    forehead. So what happened? His third year he hurt his back, even tho'
    he produced he wasn't the same player. His 4th year (last year) Pheonix
    thought he had lost the desire to play the game and traded him to Dallas
    for a conditional pick just before the season started. He played very 
    little filling in for Novacek and then he went on the IR around week 12.
    He had back surgery and is expected to be at full speed in about 2 months.
    He claims the back injury was the root of the problem. It prevented him
    from the weight lifting, and running he feels he needs to do to be the
    player he was the 1st two years. Time will tell!

  Chuck

 Way to use the clock, Jimmy.    Did you forget how to call a timeout
 or something ???   
 
 It's simple, just flatten both your palms and then touch the fingers
 of one hand to the underside of your other hand.   This forms the
 letter "T" and the refs will see this and blow the whistle to stop
 the clock.
 
 Then, you and Troy can get together in relative peace and quiet and
 discuss what you need to do to win the game.
 
 ... Instead of wasting well over a full minute of precious time and
 settling for a meaningless point-spread TD with 0:02 left.
 
 Bob Hunt

    
    He also should be held responsible for not being prepared for the fake
    punt.   I'm not sure JJ is quite ready for the big time yet, nobody
    should blow a 2 TD lead.
    
    Bruce

    Bob -
    
    JJ was using the "Ronco Dean SMith Time Management System" that he just
    receive in the mail.  Hence the troubles.
    
    HTH
    
    JD

 Ah, yes, that would indeed explain it.
 
 Thank-ee, JD.
 
 Bob Hunt

    What a big win for JJ and co.  The Pokes manage to salvage one out of
    this murderous 3-game road stretch and stay in the thick of the
    wildcard chase.  Dallas played a great game, especially defensively,
    and JJ's big gambles payed off.  I really only saw 3 bad plays or
    series of plays out of Dallas yesterday: the Mayhew interception
    return, the missed FG in the 3rd, and letting Washington score and
    score quickly to cut it to 21-14.  Their D-line really seems to be
    coming around and if they ever get an offensive line they go from
    decent to very good.  They have some excellent young talent in Smith,
    Irvin, Harper, and Aikman.  And Novacek (not that he's young) didn't
    even play yesterday except for holding on extra points and FG's.
                                   
    Dallas showed terrific poise with that long drive after Washington cut
    it to 21-14.  I was very impressed with Beuerlein.  I thought Dallas
    was dead after Aikman went down.  If their backup situation was as bad
    as last year the Cowboys undoubtedly would've lost this one.
    
    
    Joe

    
     One of the biggest mistake Al Davis has made recently (besides trading
    lachey to Washington for Wrong Way) was letting beureline (sp?) go.
    The guy is a good QB and could be a starter in many places.  Greenbay,
    the Chargers, K.C. or the Cardinals would be well advised to pick him
    up on plan "B" if Dallas is foolish enough to leave him unprotected.
    
     I was rooting for the `Boys all day...  Cound'nt stand it if the 
    Skins went undefeated.  I think this was the best game on T.V
    yesterday.
    
    Big Game

    How do you stop an apparent runaway machine? You throw a wrench in it.
    A large sigh of relief could be heard around the league sunday when
    the Dallas Cowboys handed the Skins their first loss of the season.
    In the course of 2 games with Washington this season, head coach 
    Jimmy Johnson has gone from bufoon to brilliant. The patron saint 
    of underdogs is a alive and well. 
    
    BoB 

    Time to revive this proud note.
    
    Cowboys played great defense yesterday in besting 'Da Bears. 
    SMASH-MOUTH football at its finest!  I really surprised at how well
    this Cowboy team has matured this season.  I'm equally surprised at the
    play of Beurlein.  Five straight wins from a backup that cost Dallas a
    lowly fourth round draft choice.  Thanks Al Davis!
    
    Great matchup this weekend with the Lions in Pontiac.  Cowboys had way
    too many turnovers in the first meeting.  Hopefully this weekend will
    be different.
    
    WILDCAT

    
    I never liked the Dallas Cowboys ... then they drafted
    Troy Aikman from my alma mater (UCLA) and I became Cowboy fan
    
    I was very suprised and upset that Beurlein got that start
    yesterday
    
    Dallas may have won, but their defense is not that great
    The cornerbacks and safties were never in position to stop
    the pass ... Ditka just does not like to pass and that saved
    the cowboys yesterday
    
    As for next week, Detroit only has two weapons
    Barry Sanders on offense
    and Mel Gray returning punts and kick-offs
    
    IF Dallas doesn't stop the run OR cover on special teams
    they could be playing golf in Texas next week
    
    Give Aikman the start and the Cowboys move on

    Didn't see the pre-game , but I heard Aikman looked like a real
    crybaby in his interview. Anyone see this?
    
    MikeL
    

    	Yeah MikeL he was whining about not playing and all.  But heck
    now you know the Cowboys are back because they got a quarterback
    controversy.
    
    				/Don

    RE: .75
    
    Aikman wasn't a "crybaby"...simply said he expected to play
    and was not happy with the decision
    
    

    If the roles were reversed, and it was Buerlein, you'd call him
    a crybaby.
    
    Ya think our alma mater juices are flowin??
    
    MikeL
    

    
    Points from other topics:
    
    -The last time the 'Skins were beat in RFK, and Philly was beat in the
    Vet by the same team in one season, was when the Giants did it in '86.
    
    -All 3 times the Bears have been beat in the playoffs the winning team has
    gone on to win the Superbowl
    
    For the Cowboys to beat the Lions, I'd have to say, they CANNOT turn
    the ball over, and they can't miss any 30-45 yard feild goal attempts.
    Should be a incredibly tuff game.....I'd go with Buerelin as QB....
    he has the "hot hand".
    
    For us Cowboy fans, its been a long time since the playoffs have been
    this exciting!
    
    It looked to me like the cowboys beat up the Bears yesterday, many
    SOLID hits on "D"......That poor WR waddle looked like he needed a
    bucket of smelling salts by the end of the game.....Mike Ditka was
    making poor decisions....not kicking the fiel goal on the first quarter
    with Dallas up 10-0, was pretty dumb. I think that decision was based
    on the bad taste in his mouth from the butt-kickin the 49ers gave them
    last monday nite.
    
    Anyway......
    
    
    GO COWBOYS!
    
    Al

    RE: .78  CTHQ1::LEARY
    
    >> If the roles were reversed, and it was Buerlein, you'd call him
    >> a crybaby
    
    Buerlein knows his role is a backup, he said that on the pregame
    that he'll run the car until they take the keys away ...(paraphrase)
    
    >> Ya think our alma mater jucies are flowin??
    
    (-:  like I said until Troy got drafted I couldn't stand the cowboys 
    
    also remember Detroit thrashed 'em in October!
    The cowboys will have to stop Sanders and Gray to win
    
    
    

    Keep believing all they have is Sanders and Gray and the Lions should
    be all set... Clark and Green aren't Irvin, but they'll do damage if
    healthy.

    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Re .81                                                                       
    
    Well, I have to agree with you there. They do have other people that
    can play but...                                                                       
       
    Sanders and Smith cancel each other out as far as the running game
    goes. It's what happened last time they met. I think Smith had slightly
    more rushing yardage than Sanders did that day. Correct me if I am
    wrong but I think Jay Novacheck(sp) was not playing in the last Detroit
    game. 
    
    What killed the Cowboys was the turnovers. Other than that they nearly
    doubled Detroits total  yardage (I think 415 to 2??) and the only
    reason Detroit got that much was because of the turnovers. Cowboys had
    the ball most of the game but gave it back to Detroit with turnovers
    and missed fieldgoals...which I think is Dallas's weak point. Poor
    field goal kicking.
    
    	I think turnovers will decide this game too. Hopefully it won't be
    the Cowboys doing the turnovers....
    
    	Both teams are good teams and it should be an execellent game to
    watch. Go Cowboys!

    I used to hate the Cowboys too.  Now they have half the Viking team.
    I don't hate them anymore, I just don't care...
    
    
    Spud

Me too Spud.

I kind of like them now. I even like Jimmy Johnson now that he 
been in the NFL long enough to get used to the idea of handing 
out the players paycheck during the DAY.

Old habits were hard to break...

daryll

    
    Lions digest Sowboys film at 11.
    
    Wow, What a drubbing. I guess the question is, do the Lions have
    a chance against the Skins?
    
    
    Steve

    Barry Sanders is Gawd!
    
    Dig that 47 yarder....
    
    Mark.

    The 'Boys got beat pretty bad yeaterday and all the credit goes to the
    Lions and their excellent game plan.  I could use some of the excuses
    Dean Smith sent me but then again the Cowboys had a very good year and
    I am quite pleased with their performance overall.
    
    I hope Johnson goes after DBs, OL, and DL, in the draft.  Help in these
    areas is needed.
    
    John "D Cowboys" R.
    

    #75 should get released for his efforts on the Sanders TD run.  What an
    embarrassment...
    
    
    Spud

    Isn't 75 Casillas?
    

    
     Yes, 75 is Casillas. He looked like he was standing around waiting
    for a bus when Sanders went blasting by him.

    	Well, as Sanders broke free, #51 turned around to chase (yeah,
    	right) and fell on his face.
    
    	Sanders faked mosta the Dallas players on the field outa their
    	jocks.
    
    	Scott

The funniest part of this play was Chris Berman's narration in his ESPN
Prime Time. Went something like:

	"Norton is down. 1,2,3.., he won't get up..., he's out."

TTom

Sanders put a hip fake on #51 that left him frozen like a popsicle in January.
Then he just flopped on the turf like a fish outta water....It was a sight to
see. Nobody can freeze a player like Sanders...nobody....Thermal is a better
all around back but Sanders has moves that could stop a bull in mid-rush...

Metz

     Good game...  I guess that finishes my Denver/Dallas Superbowl
    prediction.  Oh well,  I'll be half right after Sunday !!
    
    Big Game

    "Dallas Cowboy Hats"
    
    Seen in one of the TFO-2 restrooms on the disposable toilet seat cover
    housing.

    Somebody in the Pgh office christened the dispenser with the monicher:
    
    "Texas T-Shirts".
    
    
    JaKe
    

	Did the Pokes have the Skins number last night or what? It appears
 to me that Joe Gibbs has a lot of work to do to get the Skins back in line. 
  Give the Boy's another year and look out. Too much young talent for this year
  but maybe next season, if they don't do it this year.


  Cadzilla

	The person who impressed me last night was the Cowboys up back. 
I can't remember his name, but he had some nice runs OVER most of the 
'skins defenders who got in his way.  He also had some impressive catches
for a big fullback.  Anyone catch his name?  I bet we will be hearing 
quite a bit from him in the future.

Bill

    Daryl Johnston is the fullback you're thinking of.  Daryl played at
    Syracuse and co-captained the 1988 team to a 10-2 record (along with
    Markus Paul, now with the Bears, I believe).  Johnston is and always
    has been a load.
    
    John

re: Daryl Johnston

	That's the guy, John.  Some of the holes he helped open up for their
tailback were huge to say the least.  

	I wonder if Daryl likes kielbasa?  I'm sure if he was dressed in black
and gold it would put smiles on more people than dan'l's father (not to mention
mine) for many sundays.

Bill

	The first half of the game was a E.Texans dream. Can't say what 
happend in the second half, damn CBS changed the game being shown to the Wash/Atl
contest. What was the last half of the third and all of the fourth quarters 
like?


I assume the Giants finally woke up, against the 2nd string? 

  Cadzilla

Cowboys got complacent, and almost let the Giants back in it.

The Giants defense told Rod Rust to stick his girly-mon, tutu-wearing
defense, and started playing some smash-mouth, tackling type NFC East
defense.

The difference was that when NY started getting close, the 'boys defense
woke up and held, and the 'boys offense got a couple of crucial first
downs.....


Ray Handley is still the world's biggest boob....


'saw

	I figured the Giants finally got pissed and began playing some ball.
I hope Jimmy will learn something from the experience and not get lazy with
his coaching duties.

Cadzilla

I was telling someone this morning that I thought the Cowboys were just
one notch below being a Super Bowl caliber team.

They've got a ton of talent, they've got a good attitude, but from what
I saw they did let down a bit when they got the big lead....

Aikman did, and so did the D.  A little more seasoning and that won't
happen any more....


'SAw

 The Pokes need experience before they can seriously contend for the Supe. 
 This is a breakthrough year for them.   They should do well and should
 make the 'offs.   Whatever they do in this year's post-season will set
 them up for next season when they might just make a serious run.
 
 However, they may be a little thin in some of the so-called skill
 positions.  I'm not sure Steve Beurlein is the answer as backup QB and
 Aikman has yet to play a truly complete season.   Take away Michael Irvin
 for any stretch of time and their passing game suddenly looks slow, too.
 
 There's absolutely no question that the truckload of draft picks they got
 for Herschel were the key to this resurgence.  Johnson has done well in
 preparing them but his gmae day calls are still a little on the weird
 side.   But he's got the ponies to overcome a lot of odd things.
 
 Bob Hunt

    The 'Boys have an difficult schedule this year and therefore I doubt
    that they will be able to match last year's record, but I agree with
    Weasel Hunt that they will make the playoffs.  
    
    A glaring weakness on this team is the defensive secondary, and it was
    very evident vs the Giants.  Expect JJ to address that problem during
    next year's draft (if there is one).  BTW, it seems that Danny Noonan
    has been released (might be a good pickup for the Falcons or the
    Bills).
    
    John "D Cowboys" R.